What Every Mother can Learn from the Life of Eunice and Lois

This blog lists 3 of the valuable lessons we can learn from the Life of Eunice and Lois.

Ever heard of the saying, “Behind every successful man is a woman?” Maybe, when you think about this quote, you automatically imagine a successful man with his supportive wife. However, have you thought of the woman as your mother?

So, let me rephrase the quote. “Behind every successful man is a mother.”

As we look at the Bible, there is one particular man who seemed to be a spiritually successful person. He gained a lot of positive report from those who are around him. He was among the personal favorite converts of the Apostle Paul to the extent that Paul called him his son. He probably was the youngest evangelist and leader in the New Testament Church era. His name means dear to God or lover of God. His name was Timothy.

As we look at Timothy’s life, we can only see the by-product. But have we ever thought of what led to this young man’s spiritual success in life? What made him desire to be a follower of God and build godly character? What made him be what he was? The answer was his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois.

In this blog, I would like us to take a closer look at the life of Eunice and Lois and learn the lessons we can learn from them as mothers.

Lesson 1: There is hope for believers married to unbelievers

In Acts 16:1-2, we read the background of Timothy. It tells us:

“Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.”

As we can read, Timothy was a son of Hebrew, and his father was a Greek, a gentile. We know from the Old Testament that Jews were forbidden and discouraged to marry gentiles. We really don’t know how Eunice, a woman of distinguished Christian character, ended up marrying a Greek. We don’t even have clear information about Timothy’s father. But there is something we can learn from this passage.

Eunice’s marriage gives hope for believers who have married unbelievers. Her life shows that it is possible to raise godly and God-fearing children in spite of your marital situation. While it is true that fathers are charged to take the lead in disciplining a child, mothers can make a bigger influence on their child if their husband is hostile or passive to God.

Moreover, Eunice’s story also gives hope to mothers who have committed mistakes in the past. Our past mistakes sure leave a scar in our life. Nevertheless, we are shown from this story that we have the power to correct our mistakes and do what is right in the sight of the Eternal.

Lesson 2: Mothers should develop genuine faith

Now, let us learn more about Eunice and her mother, Lois. Let’s go to II Timothy 1:5.

“I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, when I call to remembrance the GENUINE FAITH that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

We read that both Eunice and Lois had genuine faith. The Greek word for genuine is anupokritos, which means without hypocrisy.

So how were these women able to raise Timothy into a God-fearing and obedient young man? The answer is that they have a genuine faith – a faith without hypocrisy, pretension, and insincerity.

So, brethren, as mothers and even fathers, it is a must that we have a genuine faith – a faith that can stand the test of fire and the test of time. Children are really great observers. They learn by looking, and it is most certainly true when it comes to our faith. Children can determine if your faith is phony or not. It is not enough for mothers to have a believing faith, but we must also have a working, living, and activefaith.

Parents may be fighting in their home and on the way to church, but when they finally step inside the service hall, they will immediately put on a smiling face as if everything is great. That’s hypocritical faith.

You might be observing the Sabbath during church services, but when you get home, you watch TV all day. Your smartphone is always open, but you don’t even have the time to open your Bible. Well, guess what? Children will soon come to a conclusion that watching TV is more important that reading the Bible. They make conclusions based on not just who you are in church, but also who you are in your home.

Genuine faith is all about consistency. You can’t have a genuine faith if your action does not match your belief.

Again, you cannot give something that you don’t have. If you don’t have a genuine faith, then you can’t expect to share that with your children. But imagine if you have a genuine faith. How great that would be for your children? It would be the most significant impact and influence you could impart to your child. Having a genuine faith is something that your child will thank you for when they finally reach adulthood.

Lesson 3: We need to teach our children about the Bible at an early age

II Timothy 3:14-15 reads:

“But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, AND THAT FROM CHILDHOOD YOU HAVE KNOWN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Here is something that every mother should do. They must teach their children about the Holy Scripture. From this verse, we can see that Eunice and Lois had done their best in teaching Timothy Biblical principles. Timothy did not accidentally learn about the Bible, it was taught to him by his mother and grandmother!

Teaching our children in the way of God is considered to be our DIVINE AND SACRED DUTY. We need to lay a strong biblical foundation on our children’s hearts and minds. And the sooner, the better.

Final Words

Eunice and Lois are great examples of godly mothers who have taught their children the ways of God. The lessons we learn from them are not just meant for mothers, but for all Christians who aim to follow God’s will in their lives.

Children are truly special. They are gifts from God. We need to realize that we are not just raising kids. We are also raising future kings and priests for the coming Kingdom of God to be established here on earth!